We are able to ship your parts the same day that you order, too. At Dennis Kirk, you will be able to find the largest selection of in-stock Evo parts.
DEGREEING HARLEY EVO CAMSHAFT MOD
Whether you need to keep it maintained or mod it into a fire breather, you can find everything you need in the aftermarket. With so many Blockheads still on the road today, the aftermarket is extremely strong for them. The Harley Evolution engine was well received and mass produced. With the Evo, the ignition system was made to last and be dependable when needed. Many Shovel owners reverted their ignition back to points because it was more reliable. Also part of the engine redesign was better lubrication and a reliable ignition system. Horsepower increased 10% and torque increased 15% from the Shovelhead.
This displacement provided more than enough power and torque for HD’s bigger bikes. In the Big Twin models, the Evolution engine was offered only in the 82ci size. They made a reliable coast-to-coast engine. HD put it through rigorous testing to ensure that it could hold up to long hour, high mileage rides. The Evo was, indeed, much more “oil tight” than engines of the past, which made it far more durable. With this setup, power and torque can be sustained throughout the powerband without suffering from overheating. This not only made the engine lighter, but also allowed for tighter tolerances, which increased power and cooling capabilities. One of the reasons for its success is the fact that the heads, cylinders and crankcase were all aluminum. The Evo proved to be much lighter, more powerful, and most importantly, more reliable and durable than any of its predecessors. HD’s new manufacturing processes included improved quality control and Materials As Needed inventory control, which allowed them to keep a tight rein on production as well as reduce overhead.Īfter seven years of design and engineering, the Evolution engine was a far cry from the mills of the past. The Evo was the first HD engine to be designed using CAD (Computer Aided Design), which allowed the engineers to be far more precise. To do this, they needed to utilize new technologies, materials and manufacturing processes. To accomplish their mission, they knew they had to release a new engine that was much more reliable, had more power and would not overheat. In 1981, a group of HD executives and investors pooled together and bought the MOCO back from AMF with a mission to bring the brand back to its glory. The Evolution, also known as the Evo or Blockhead engine, was a complete revamp of the Big Twin.
And in 1984, they did just that with the release of the Harley Evolution engine. To save the company once again, Harley-Davidson needed to evolve. The Shovelhead was a decent engine for the time, but the quality was not always there and at the end of its life, it was struggling to compete with the foreign imports. The brand survived some very lean years, but their name was now being associated with being unreliable. The AMF era of Harley was a tumultuous time for the MOCO.